Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-12-29
THURSDAY. DECEMBER %, 1897
Blame Of Maine.

We have again and again done all VT
could TO have Mr.. BLAINE nominated
and defeated In 1880 we "boomed
him to the extent Of our influence Will
our Republican readers, and in 1894 once
more gave him a helping hand in hi.
fight for the nomination. We do mo-
claim that We rendered him any more
service than was rendered 10y a number
of other Democratic papers that pre-
ferred him to any other Republican can
didste either because it was supposed he
could be more easily defeated than any
other or because it was hoped that 50
magnetic a man would lay aside all Sec
tional demagogy and hloodyshirtsm as
soon as he took possession OF the White
House.
How is it now? IT seems to us that
Mr.. BLAINE needs no help from any
quarter this time. The nomination is
his TO accept or reject. He has to con-
suit only his own convenience and COM
fort and ambition. Win he decline to
accept the highest oflice-the highest
honor-in the world? 1t is not in
human nature to DO that But the
fact is that the declinaton-h there
be one-will not he a refusal
TO serve as President, but a
refusal 10 serve as a candidate for Presi-
dent. There is a wide difference be-
tween accepting houors and accepting a
mere chance TO secure honors. And yet
Mr.. BLAINE came 50 near being elected
in 1884 that he can hardly be blamed for
hoping and confidently expecting 70 be
able TO grasp the prize in 1883. Enter
tainIng this hope he will surely consent
to run again next year. With his san
guine temperament and love Of the ex-
element Of political contests it would be
almost as hard for him to decline the
Office itself as TO decline the nomination.
Let Us assume, then, that MIR. BLAINE
is willing to become the Republican
nominee for President What will Ma
HOMES advocacy Of SHERMAN amount 70 {?
What will SHERMAX's efforts result in {?
Nothing at all but ignominious failure.
Indeed, as we have said heretofore, w
shall not be surprised at any time to ind
MALONE advocating BLAINE's nomina-
ton. MALONE knows that no man who
had hand in stealing the presidency
from him and the rest of the Democrats
of 1876 will ever become the President
of the United States. 1.-The trail of the
serpent is over them all Even HAYES,
who was rather victim than a cOnspira-
tor-rather a tool than otherwise-has 10
bear the crushing weight of that popular
opinion which knows him as the only
fraudulent President the country has
ever had. If, therefore, MALONE is a
SHERMAN man in earnest, and intends to
give him the vote of Virginia in the Re
publican National Convention, he has
some Interior object in view. 1t may be
that he hopes that BLAINE, if elected,
will follow the example of Mr.. LINCOLN,
who made his principal competitor for
the nomination member of his Cabinet.
MALONE would perhaps rather take his
chances with SHERMAN as a Cabinet Off
Ger than with BLAINE as President.
Can MALONE give SHERMAN the Nir-
ginia delegation to the Republican Ma
tional Convention ? Are his opponents
inside the Republican party so destitute
OF strength and strategy as to be unable
10 defeat his plans even with the aid
of Mr.. BLAINE? We shall see.